Serenade
by LoveWhatYouWrite
Summary: The moment she realises she can't plan the perfect moment to tell the person she loves, that she loves them and always will. A few mishaps along the way. SQ. AU. No magic. One-Shot.


_**AN: No Magic. No EF. Henry is only young - Daniel is Henry's father however he died.**_

* * *

Emma Swan, the town's Sheriff, had finally worked up the nerve to go and tell Regina Mills, the town's Mayor, that she was in love with her. She was ready to take their six year friendship to the next level and Regina's adorable four year old son, Henry was a definite bonus.

Telling Regina wouldn't be difficult. She would simply walk up to the Mayor, lay it on the line and that would be that. However, it was never that.

On her first try, Emma had tried to take coffee to Regina at Town Hall; only for some personal assistant on a mission from goodness-knows-who, to slam into her during their flash exit from the main door. After a few loud curses, the need for replacement coffee and a clean outfit became apparent; so Emma left it at that.

The second through to fifth attempt resulted in a harassment complaint from the Mayor herself. Apparently Regina thought she had a stalker-in-the-making due to random flowers, holding a card stating her name, being left at the places she frequented. Sheriff Swan's head had hit her desk by the time she'd calmed the woman, told her she would find the culprit and ended the call. It wasn't her fault that she had been called away every time she had tried to deliver the flower in person. In hindsight she thought that perhaps she could have taken it with her instead of leaving it for Regina to find.

After a few more failed attempts of 'I was just in the area, (even though I live on the other side of town) perhaps we should do dinner', 'Fancy seeing you here, (in the town's only diner) what are the odds', and 'Oh I've been doing yoga for ages, (I just signed up last week) but I had to change my session'; Emma decided that if an easy approach was not doable, perhaps a more in depth, lengthy process was required and so began her guitar lessons.

* * *

 **A Few Months Later**

Emma had finally perfected her performance or so she thought. The Sheriff knew that Regina's home was the only place to perform, otherwise the woman was sure to become embarrassed and storm off before Emma even began the second verse. She knew the chords, knew the lyrics but she failed miserably at being at the Mayor's mansion at the same time as said Mayor.

After two attempts resulting in the mansion being empty, Emma decided on a Friday night that she knew without a doubt, Regina would be home with Henry. There was no evening kids' gymnastics class, no dinner with Regina's sister, Zelena, no impromptu stay over with her mother, Cora and no late night spent in the office. This was it, her moment, her time for a happy beginning.

* * *

 **The Friday Night**

Emma's yellow bug sputtered to a stop in Regina's driveway. The soft glow coming from downstairs was all the encouragement Emma needed to make her way to the front door. After three incessant rings of the doorbell and few loud knocks to the door, time slowly ticked by as she waited. It was unlike the Mayor to keep anyone waiting at her door, no matter how much she detested unexpected visitors. With that on her mind, Emma unfortunately flew into a panic over different scenarios that could have been behind the closed door. She gave a swift boot near the handle, gaining quick access. After a quick search both downstairs and upstairs, she came up empty. On her way down the stairs, she overlooked a stray toy on the second bottom step, resulting in her landing on her behind.

After a few moments of self-reflection, Emma eased herself up and made her way to the front door. The door, that wouldn't close due to the splintered door jamb and sported a busted panel; the same door that Regina was going to kill Emma with. Emma grabbed her guitar, that had been leaning by the door, and left after constructing a makeshift door stop, sticking up some crime scene tape and leaving a scrawled, 'I'm so sorry, I'll fix it' note.

Feeling sore and sorry for herself, she made her way to the diner for a much needed hot cocoa with extra whipped cream and cinnamon.

Within moments of pulling up out front, Emma noticed through the diner's glass door, a certain Mayor holding her son's hand; both patrons talking to the owner everyone called, Granny.

This was her moment. She knew there wouldn't be a perfect time; that she simply had to take what she could get and make the most of it. She'd deal with all repercussions at a later date. Emma grabbed her guitar, made her way to the tables and chairs out the front of the diner, sat and waited.

After thirty minutes of knee bouncing anxiety, Emma jolted to a standing position when mother and son finally exited the establishment.

"Emma, what are you…" Regina was silenced by Emma holding up her finger.

Releasing an unsteady breath, Emma picked up her guitar from the table and began to strum.

Emma's words, "amor. Si me llamas amor," were interrupted by Regina walking down the diner steps wearing a quizzical expression.

"Stop. Just stand there."

The Mayor only moved closer, questioning the Sheriff, "what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Seriously? Can't you just stand still, shut up and let me do this? Is it so difficult?

Feeling nothing less that frustrated and fed up, Emma started again due to having lost her place; only to stop when a hand touched her shoulder. Emma's shoulders slumped in defeat as she somewhat forcefully placed the guitar down.

"Fine. That's the last time I try to do anything romantic for you. I mean it. That's it." Emma looked away, folding her arms across her chest.

A tug at her jeans caused the Sheriff to look down into the eyes of the one and only Henry Mills. She couldn't help but smile and do as he asked, when he requested that she sing for him.

Whilst Regina watched on, Emma knelt down to Henry's level to sing and play the first verse and one chorus.

"What's it mean?" Henry asked as he plucked at a string.

"It means, I think your mommy's kinda special."

"Emma?" Regina questioned.

Emma placed the guitar to the side and pulled the boy up onto her lap as she took a seat.

"Yeah?"

Regina took a seat opposite the pair, "I'm not quite following."

"You make me dinner."

Out of every possible explanation, Regina wasn't expecting that. "I make you dinner?"

"Yeah." Emma seemed to direct her answers and reasoning to the boy on her lap. "For years you've given me leftovers so you know that I eat when I'm at work, or at home for that matter."

"Well, it's unhealthy to skip meals or live on those atrocious pop tarts and bear claws."

"It's not just that though."

"What's not that?" Emma could hear the slight frustration seeping into the other woman's words.

She rubbed Henry's back as he snuggled into her chest. "I challenge you."

"You irritate me."

"Right…but you love it."

"I suppose my days would be dull otherwise." The Mayor rested her head in her palm.

"You make me cake for my birthday."

"I still don't…"

Emma interrupted and continued, "You put a blanket over me when I crash on your couch."

"Well I…I don't want you getting cold."

"I miss you when you leave the room."

At this, Regina sat to attention, "Emma?"

The Sheriff just kept going, "I can't help but copy you when you smile." She placed a kiss to the mess of brown hair beneath her chin. "I love you, Henry." Her heart ached in a good way when the boy squeezed a little tighter and mumbled a "love you" back.

"And you," Regina watched as glistening, green eyes locked onto her, "you are all kinds of wonderful, Regina."

Regina's features softened as Emma simply stated, "I thought you should know."

After working her way past the lump in her throat, the Mayor stood with Emma's guitar in hand. "I think we should take our little prince home."

The warmth in the woman's words and eyes eased away any worry that was left within Emma. She stood with a mostly asleep Henry still in her arms.

As they made their way to the footpath, Regina stated the fact that she had no idea that the Sheriff could play. Emma gave a recap of her sometimes disastrous lessons, alluding to the fact that she learnt the guitar just for her confession.

"What did the words mean?"

Emma was thankful for the darkness to conceal the fact that she was blushing. "Uh, it…well it…um…if you let me love you…"

She felt Regina's hand on her arm, bringing her to a stop. Before she could question if there was something wrong, if she'd overstepped and apologise; that same hand had curled behind her neck bringing her face towards Regina. Their lips met for a sweet but chaste kiss.

"I will adore you." Regina finished Emma's line.

"Yeah." A goofy grin bloomed on the Sheriff's face.

Regina's started to walk on. "Come on, dear, let's go home."

The grin quickly faded, "Uh..yeah…about that. There might be a slight…"

"What did you do?" Regina turned to Emma.

"Nothing. Well…nothing big per se. I just might have…you know," Emma mumbled out the rest, "broken your front door."

"You what?" The vein in the Mayor's forehead appeared more pronounced.

Emma nervously chuckled, "BUT remember how I serenaded you fifteen minutes ago? Confessed my love and all that?"

Regina sighed.

"You do remember that, right?"

"Of course I do." Regina smiled. "Come, you have a door to fix."

"What? Now?" Emma questioned the Mayor who was already making her way around the corner onto her street.

"No time like the present Miss Swan," was called over a shoulder.

"No time like the present indeed," Emma grumbled as she re-secured her hold on Henry and made her way after the woman she knew she'd follow for the rest of her life.


End file.
